By Steph Solis
MassLive.com, Springfield, Mass.
BOSTON — First responders launched a crowdfunding campaign to help two Boston EMTs who were attacked Wednesday while transporting a patient.
The Boston Emergency Medical Services Relief Association set up the gofundme campaign in response to the incident where police say 31-year-old Julie Tejeda stabbed an EMT four times and injured another in the process. Both are recovering from the attack.
The gofundme campaign raised more than $12,000 in a day, according to the website.
“We’re very grateful for everybody that’s donated, but we would love to maybe reach out more and seek more help from the community and other EMS agencies to help our brother and sister in this time of need,” said Elaine Gallagher, president of the Boston EMS Relief Association.
Boston EMS Chief Jim Hooley said the EMTs were taking Tejeda to Mass General Hospital Wednesday afternoon when she “became unruly” and started stabbing the EMT, who is a 14-year veteran of the department. The incident occurred while the ambulance was on New Chardon Street near Government Center.
Authorities did not identify the EMTs.
Tejeda, an East Boston resident, was arraigned Thursday in Boston Municipal Court on charges of assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery on a public official.
An EMS supervisor was attacked Thursday afternoon after blocking a woman from entering a building where they were tending to an unconscious woman, police said. The supervisor was not severely injured.
While such incidents are rarely reported, Gallagher said EMTs face dangerous situations on the job every day.
The relief association aims to raise $100,000 for the two EMTs who were attacked Wednesday. Gallagher said the victims are still healing and haven’t said what exactly they need help with, but that EMTs often rely on overtime pay to make ends meet.
“They’re out of work because of injury, and they’re not able to pull their overtime,” said Gallagher, who has been an EMT for 14 years. “'[This is] why we’re coming together to do this for them so that they don’t have to worry. Their mortgages and copays and everything will be covered, and they don’t have to have another stressful thing on their plate.”
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